The manifestation of malodor in the oral cavity of humans has been a problem facing humans in many types of interpersonal interactions for many years. Many attempts to either mask or remove such odors have been proposed in the art for many years. In large part, the technology has evolved in such a way that individuals attempt to use a mouthwash or other oral preparation for the purpose of reducing microbial populations that, in turn, further reduce the production of malodors. After malodors have been produced through a variety of mechanisms, people have attempted to use mouthwashes and other oral preparations to remove the odors and odor causing elements from the oral cavity reducing the occurrence of malodor. Further, compositions have been produced that effectively mask malodors simply by covering the odors with other materials that provide pleasant experience that overwhelms the negative impact of the malodors.
Such malodors are a problem in a variety of human endeavors including social contacts, professional and workspace contacts and the interaction between humans and the environment. In one particular context, malodors can cause failure and frustration during hunting in which the subject prey can detect the presence of hunters in the vicinity by detecting malodors. Many prey animals are very sensitive to certain odor or malodor and can often detect human breath malodors at low concentration and at great distance from the hunter's location. The natural oral microbial populations, flora or bacteria respire and transpire in the porous surface in the mouth and particularly on the tongue. These microorganisms can consume biologically available compounds present in saliva. As a result of the metabolism, the bacteria release malodor causing compounds. The presence of the bacteria and the associated compounds create the “hunter's breath” that many prey can detect. A number of specific attempts at preventing, reducing or masking malodors have been proposed in the art. Hunter's breath, which is the target malodor of the invention, arises typically from bacterial populations in the oral cavity. In large part the predominant location of the majority of microorganisms is on the rough and porous surface of the human tongue.
In one mode of malodor reduction, masking agents have been used but appear to only add to the odor causing materials in the oral cavity. Another mode uses absorbents or adsorbents to reduce or eliminate malodors. A variety of absorbents or adsorbents have been used including such materials as silica gel, zeolite absorbents and activated carbon.
Activated carbon has been known for many years and has been used for a variety of absorbent and adsorbent applications including reductions in the offensive odors produced in a variety of materials.
Activated carbon is discussed in the Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Fourth Edition, Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1999) on pages 323-324. Activated carbon has been included in a variety of products.
Sauer, U.S. Pat. No. 1,542,006, which is a bad breath treatment for patients in which activated carbon is compounded into a pill or tablet with sugar as a binding agent. The tablet contains large amounts (90-94%) of carbon (see page 1, lines 49-55). The patent at page 3, lines 103-106 for the blending information.
Geils, U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,169, teaches a tablet containing activated carbon and sorbitol in a tablet form. This form has 5-20% carbon in a sorbitol base.
Nishimura, U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,284, teaches activated carbon in a compressed tablet that is used to absorb toxin materials from a poisoning victim in an antidote mode. Virtually the entire tablet is carbon. Similarly, the Scent Eraser® capsule is a gelatin capsule containing a major proportion of carbon and minor secondary ingredients such as chlorophyll and parsley.
Harwood, U.S. Pat. No. 6,861,049, teaches aqueous slurries of activated carbon (20 to 50%) useful for cleaning lingual surfaces.
Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,440,415, teaches a spray, detergent, deodorant/mouthwash for hunter's odor or breath. The mouthwash contains a variety of typical mouthwash formulations including water, dye, flavorings and activated carbon (see Column 3, line 5 for the primary disclosure).
Sesselmann, U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,930, teaches the use of activated carbon in hunters' clothing to absorb human odors.
Lucas et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,874,067, and Peterson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,144, teach materials used for controlling malodors on human skin.
A substantial need remains in personal care composition, treatment or odor reduction method providing a safe, effective, easily used, palatable treatment composition for human malodors arising from the oral cavity.